Author: PTI
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: November 30, 2004
Usha, a woman from Srirangam, wanted
by police for interrogation in connection with the Sankararaman murder
case, in which Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested, on Tuesday
"presented herself" before the police here.
Sudha Ramalingam and Arivu Nidhi,
the two advocates representing her, told newsmen that Usha was not
"hiding or absconding" as was made out by the prosecution on Monday
and "she is very much available here for any inquiry."
The advocates said Usha was a cancer
patient and she was a beneficiary of Kanchi mutt's "generous help."
"She (Usha) is not absconding or
hiding and she had presented herself before the police here for any
inquiry," the advocates told newsmen in Usha's presence.
During the hearing of the bail plea
of the seer, the prosecution had told the Madras High Court on Monday
that the pontiff had extensive telephonic conversations with Usha
at Srirangam.
"We wanted to interrogate her but
she had made herself scarce and is absconding," Tulsi, senior Supreme
Court lawyer, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, had said.
In the counter-affidavit, police
had contended that the conversation between the seer and Usha used
to last even for 900 pulse units. The woman was provided with free
quarters and large amount of money was periodically transferred to
her through bank transactions.
"Her involvement in the conspiracy
and other allied matters were being probed since the seer regularly
spoke to her before and after the murder," police had contended.
Usha drove from Chennai to the district
police office here and appeared before the additional superintendent
of police, Bhuvaneshwari.
Sudha Ramalingam said since Usha
heard the TV news last night saying that she was absconding, she
chose to present herself before the police on Tuesday.
Sudha said this was not a "surrender.
She is only presenting herself. Usha is blameless and there is no
case on her now."
Sudha said "Usha has been suffering
from many ailments from the time she was 20 years old and she was
now suffering from breast cancer."
She had to undergo many sittings
of chemotherapy and had to be hospitalised several times. It was
her husband, Narayanan, who had approached the Kanchi acharya for
medical help. Narayanan "went broke" in business and following heavy
debts, he deserted Usha. The medical expenses were met because of
the help from the mutt and from Usha's relatives, Sudha said adding
that the police had visited her house in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappalli,
and made enquiries there on october 12.
The police did not find it necessary
to make any further investigations, but the house owners became uneasy
about it and Usha had to vacate the house. She has been staying with
her relatives in Chennai all these days, Sudha said.
Usha's brother, Jagannathan, who
was also present during the press conference, said at one stage,
Usha went to the extent of committing suicide because of her ill-health
and lack of means to meet the expenses.
"It was then that she received help
as well as solace from the Kanchi acharya," Jagannathan said adding
that Usha did not reside in Kanchi mutt but contacted the mutt only
through phone.
"It is extremely uncivilised to
adduce any pervert or sexual overtones to this," Sudha said.
